Final Project
My final project is a hologram device that can be used for communication. It transfers the image of the person sitting in front of them onto the hologram by subtracting the background.
Assignment:
Individual
- Propose a final project that integrates the range of units covered
Accomplished
-Proposed a Final Project
-Explained what the intent of the project
-Explained the process involved in making
-Explained the parts that are required for making
-I have a better idea about the project
What will it do?
It's a 2.5D hologram device. The world is moving towards the different format of viewing technology like VR and AR and the next step in that process would be Hologram. The hologram works on the principle of peppers ghost, which is actually just a reflection of an image on to an inclined reflective panel(glass, acrylic, plastic etc.) Using this principle, I'm building a device which can be used in the field of communication, particularly in video chatting and conferencing.
Who's done what beforehand?
The requirement and skill level to build the basic unit is very minimal. Hence there are a lot of videos on youtube to make the simple pyramid with cd cases.
On a larger scale, a lot of people on Kickstarter have projects that vary in range and function but having their core working principle as Pepper's ghost. Here are a few examples
Hologram Pyramid HD
This is pretty good design, very modular in its approach. But the user will be stuck with the videos that are available on youtube and the device would be of not much use beyond that.
HOLO Cardboard - a mixed reality hologram
This is a mixed reality viewer. They come with preinstalled animation depending on what object is placed inside them. The limitation of this device would again be the functionality. The user cant uses it beyond its given or programmed objects.
Hologram Vision
This is not the pyramidal type but the simple inclined type. The device is very neat, yet again stuck with videos that are already available. It's not customizable.
There are a few projects from Fabacademy that I found in similar lines.
RON ROSENBERG
He used the hologram as a means to display the output of his project. He has designed his base and has used the cd case to fabricated the reflective surfaces.
Borja Javier Lanza Lopez
What will you design?
Form:
The entire form of the structure will be designed by me, though taking inputs and references from earlier done models. I wasn't to how differently it can be worked out. The form has to be such that it holds all components in one place, like the display, electronic etc.
Electronics:
The electronics consists of two systems:
1.Reads the distance and light on the user's face and then switches on external lights if necessary.
2.A system with raspberry pi and camera that captures the face, do background subtraction and then manipulated the images on three or four sides(depending on the design) for hologram display.
In this, the first system electronics will be designed by me. It will include a modular board, much like the satsha kit or fab kit, to which the sensors are connected. There will be a relay connected to the board that provides electricity to the external light source.
Programming:
The program on the raspberry pi to capture-bg subtract-manipulate will be done by me along with the sensor programming of the 1st system.
What materials and components will be used?
Form:
-MDF or PLY for the body
-PLA (3d printing) for joinery details
-Acrylic for reflective display
-Spray paint
-Screws and nails
Electronics:
-ADI Board
-External lighting system
-Ultrasonic sensor
-Jumper cables and pins
-Display
-Relay board
-Raspberry Pi
-External Web Cam
Where will it come from?
Most of the material I'm using is a part of Fab inventory. The MDF and Acrylic can be found in local stationary shops. Most of the electronics are readily available in the market. Raspberry Pi is available on Amazon.in(e-commerce store). Sourcing the display might be slightly tricky. They are available in local markets, but getting the right size for a cheaper rate will be hard.
How much will they cost?
What parts and systems will be made?
-The physical structure of the device
-Casing for all electronics components
-ADI Board (based on satshakit)
What processes will be used?
Form:
The form of the structure will require the following process:
- CNC milling of MDF (Subtractive Process)
-Laser cutting Acrylic and MDF (Subtractive Process)
-3D printing Joinery (Additive Process)
Electronics:
- ADI Board (electronics design and production)
-Communicating with sensor and External light ( microcontroller interfacing and programming)
-Programming the Raspberry Pi ( microcontroller interfacing and programming)
And finally combining the two electronics systems and with the physical form ( system integration and packaging)
What questions need to be answered?
There are certain uncertainties at this stage of the project.
-Will the deice only perform communication operations?
-The coding on Python is still not very clear(resolution of output and thresholding)
-What is the right or optimum type of light to be used to illuminate an object without producing glare?
What is the schedule?
1st June : Getting the Python code right
4th June : Designing the form | Prototyping & Finalizing on the design
7th June : Electronic design and integration of systems
9th June : Whole system assembly | Working | Iterations
11th June : Documentation & Presentation
How will it be evaluated?
It should be evaluated on its functionality and usability. As said earlier the already done hologram devices are exhaustible after a period, while this can be used on a day to day basis. Also, the manufacturing process is not very complicated and can even further be simplified depending on the size of display that's required.
Conclusion
The week was basically about me getting to know my project better. To finalize the design and get a better sense of how things are going to function. I split the systems according to their functions so its easier for me to sort them out. I have 2 system of electronics and 1 model. Now after this exercise I know where I stand in my project and helps me plan what needs to be done next and procure the materials necessary before it's late. Also, now I know the process I will be using to make my model and electronics design, hence I need to prepare my files accordingly. On the whole this week's documentation helped me organize my project better.